4.

0 Direct Current (DC) Circuits

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Outline

4.1 Resistors in Series & in Parallel

4.2 EMF and Terminal Voltage
4.3 Kirchhoff’s Rules
4.4 Circuit containing Resistor & Capacitor
4.5 Capacitors in Series and in Parallel

FAP0025 PHY II 2
Today's lecture Include:

4. 1 Resistors in series and parallel.

4. 2 EMF and terminal voltage.

4.3 Kirchhoff’s Rules.

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Objectives

Deduce expressions for resistors connected

in series and parallel.

Explain emf and Terminal Voltage.

Solve Problems.

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4.1 Resistors in Series and in Parallel

Electric circuits often contain a number of

resistors connected in various ways.

In this section we calculate the equivalent

resistance of a group of resistors in series and
in parallel.

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4.1.1 Resistors in Series

Two or more
resistors connected
end to end to a V1
battery (Fig 4.1) are
said to be connected  V2
in series.

 Same current I
passes through each V3
resistor.
Fig. 4.1: Three resistors in
series

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Total voltage drop across all resistors equals to
the emf of the battery (energy conservation):
  V1  V2  V3  I R1  R2  R3   IReq (4.1)
where
Req  R1  R2  R3 (4.2)

In general
n
Req   Ri  R1  R2  R3  ...  Rn (4.3)
i 1

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 4.1.2 Resistors in Parallel

Three resistors
connected as in Fig.
4.2, are said to be
connected in parallel. 

The voltage drop

across each resistor
equals the emf of the
battery. Fig. 4.2: Three resistors in
parallel

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Because electric charge is conserved we write

I  I1  I 2  I 3 (4.4)

Applying Ohm’s law to each resistor:

 1 1 1 
I  I1  I 2  I 3       (4.5)
Req  R1 R2 R3 

1 1 1 1
   (4.6)
Req R1 R2 R3

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 Example 1

Find the equivalent resistance between points

A and B for the group of resistors shown in
figure.

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Solution 1

1 1 1
 
Req R1  R2 R3
1 1
 
35   82  45 

 Req  33 

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 Example 2

A circuit consists of a 9.0-V battery connected to

three resistors (42 , 17  and 110 ) in series.
Find (a) the current that flows through the battery
and (b) the potential difference across each
resistor.

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Solution 2

(a) I  V  9.0 V
 5.3 102 A  53 mA
Req 42   17   110 

(b) Vi  IRi
V42  0.0533 A 42    2.2 V
V17  0.0533A 17    0.91 V
V110  0.0533A 110    5.9 V

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 Example 3

A circuit consists of a battery connected to three

resistors (65 , 25  and 170 ) in parallel. The
total current through the resistors is 1.3 A. Find
(a) the emf of the battery and (b) the current
through each resistor.

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 Solution 3

1
 1 1 
  IReq  1.3 A 
1
(a)     21 V
 65  25  170  

(b) I i 
Ri
21.22 V
I 65   0.33 A
65 
21.22 V
I 25   0.85 A
25 
21.22 V
I170  170  0.12 A
170 

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4.2 EMF and Terminal Voltage

A device that transforms one type of energy

(chemical, mechanical, light, etc) into electrical
energy is called a source of emf (electromotive
force). E.g. battery, generator and photovoltaic
cells (solar cells).
When no current flows to an external circuit, the
p. d. at terminals of source is called emf () .
However there is always some hindrance in the
electrolyte to the flow of charge between the
electrodes of a cell or battery.

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The battery has internal resistance, r (Fig. 4.3).
The p. d. at terminals (AB) of battery when it is
connected to a load is always smaller than the
emf and is called the terminal voltage.
 ve terminal
ve terminal
+
_ +
r

r 
A  + B
Ir
Terminal voltage, V
I R

Fig. 4.3: Internal resistance r in a cell

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When a current I flows from battery, there is
internal voltage drop inside cell equal to Ir. Thus
terminal voltage is given by

V    Ir (4.10)

or
  V  Ir (4.11)
 IR  Ir  I R  r 

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Example 4

Figure shows a car battery whose emf is 12.0 V

and whose internal resistance is 0.010 . What
is the terminal voltage when the current I drawn
from the battery is (a) 10.0 A and (b) 100.0 A?

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Solution 4

(a) V    Ir
 12.0 V  10.0 A 0.010 Ω 
 11.9 V

(b) V    Ir
 12.0 V  100.0 A 0.010 Ω 
 11.0 V

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4.3 Kirchhoff’s Rules

Not all electric circuits containing several

resistors can often be analyzed using rules for
series and parallel connections.

To find the currents and voltages in such

instances we use two rules known as Kirchhoff’s
rules. These rules are simply ways of expressing
charge conservation (the junction rule) and
energy conservation (the loop rule).

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 4.3.1 Kirchhoff’s junction rule

States: At any junction, Using junction rule:

the sum of all currents
entering the junction is I1  I 2  I 3 (4.12)
equal the sum of all
currents leaving the
junction.

In Fig. 4.4, a junction is

formed at point A. Arbitrary
direction for unknown
currents may be chosen. A
-ve answer implies
opposite direction.
Fig. 4.4: Kirchhoff’s
junction rule

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4.3.2 Kirchhoff’s loop rule

Kirchhoff’s loop rule states: For a closed-circuit

loop, the algebraic sum of all potential rises is
equal to sum of all potential drops.
Using this rule, we
see from Fig. 4.5 Loop
going from A back to
A along the closed
circuit in a clockwise
Fig. 4.5: Kirchhoff’s loop rule
direction:
VAB    VCD  IR (Ohm' s law) (4.13)
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 Kirchhoff’s Junction and Loop Rules

In Fig. 4.6, the currents and

voltages in this circuit can
be found by using series
 
and parallel combination of
resistors.
 
 Kirchhoff’s rules can also
 
be used to find the currents
(I1, I2, I3) and voltages. Let
the resistors have same
value of R = 100.0  and Fig. 4.6:Analyzing
 = 15.0 V. a simple circuit

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 Applying Kirchhoff’s junction rule to point A:
I1  I 2  I 3  0 (i)

Loop 1
  I 3 R  I1R  0 (ii)

Loop 2

I 3 R  I 2 R  0 or I 3  I 2 (iii)
From (i) & (iii) we obtain:
I 2  I 3  12 I1 (iv)
Substituting (iv) in (ii) and solving gives:
 15.0 V
I1    0.100 A
2 100.0 Ω 
3 3
2 R
I 2  I 3  0.050 A
Fig 4.7: Using loops to analyze a circuit
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Example 5

Find the magnitude and direction (clockwise

or counterclockwise) of the current in figure
below.

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Solution 5

Following the loop clockwise, we have

15.0 V  I 8.50 Ω   11.5 V  I 6.22 Ω   I 15.1 Ω   0

26.5 V
I  0.889 A
29.82 Ω

The positive value for I indicates that we have

selected the right direction.

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Example 6

Using Kirchhoff’s junction and loop rules, find

the currents in the circuit shown.

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Solution 6

Applying the junction rule to point A, we write

I1  I 2  I 3  0

Applying the loop rule to loop 1, we obtain

15 V  I 3 100 Ω  I1 100 Ω  0
Applying the loop rule to loop 2, we obtain
 9.0 V  I 2 100 Ω  I 3 100 Ω  0
Solving for I1, I2 and I3 gives
I1  0.070 A, I 2  0.010 A, I 3  0.080 A
The –ve value for I 2 implies it is in opposite direction.
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Today's lecture Include:

4.4 Circuits containing Resistor & Capacitor.

4.5 Capacitors in Series and in Parallel.

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Objectives

Analyze circuits containing Resistor & Capacitor.

Analyze capacitors in Series and in Parallel.

Solve Problems.

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4.4 Circuits containing Resistor & Capacitor
4.4.1 Capacitor Charging
 Fig . 4.8 shows a series DC S
circuit consisting of a resistor and
a capacitor. With switch S closed,
current flows momentarily.

As charge accumulates on the S

capacitor, voltage across it
increases and the current
decreases. When voltage across
capacitor equals battery voltage,
no more current flows. Fig. 4.8: Charging a
capacitor in an RC circuit
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4.4.1 Capacitor Charging (Continue)

 Fig. 4.9 shows the charge q

accumulated on capacitor q0 =

verses time when the switch is

closed. The charging fits the
exponential function of time
q (t )  q0 1  e  t  
 
 C 1  e t  RC  (4.14)
V t    1  e 
C
t 

Where  = RC is called the Fig. 4.9 Charge vs. time

time constant of the capacitor in a charging RC circuit
and is the time for the charge to
reach about 63% of its final
value.

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4.4.1 Capacitor Charging (Continue)
The time constant is a measure of  1
how fast the capacitor charges. At t = , I t     e
the charge q and voltage VC across the R
capacitor is 
 0.368I 0  0.368

q( t   )  q0 1  e 1  R

 0.632q0  0.632C
 
VC t      1  e 1  0.632
 Fig. 4.10 shows the evolution with
time of the current in the RC circuit
shown in Fig. 4.8 (b). The current
decays exponentially as a function of
time according to equ. 4.15:

I t   I 0 e t    R e  t  RC  (4.15) Fig. 4.10: Current vs. time

in a charging RC circuit

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4.4.2 Capacitor Discharging

 When the battery is

removed from the circuit and
switch S closed as shown in
Fig. 4.11 (b), current will
momentarily flow through the
circuit.

Electrons from the negative

plate of the capacitor flow to
the +ve plate and neutralize
the positive charges. This
process is called discharging a
capacitor through a resistor.
Fig. 4.11 Discharging a capacitor
in an RC circuit
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4.4.2 Capacitor Discharging (Continue)

The charges flow from –ve to

+ve plate till capacitor is fully
discharged. The charge and
voltage across the capacitor
decrease with time as in Fig. 4.12
and are given by the expressions:

q(t )  q0e t /  q0e t  RC 

V t   V0e t RC (4.16)

Where q0 is the maximum

initial charge on the capacitor and Fig. 4.12: Charge vs. time in
V0 the maximum voltage. a discharging capacitor

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 Example 7

The switch on an RC circuit is closed at t = 0.

How much charge is on the capacitor at time
t = 4.2 ms, given that  = 6.0 V, R = 150 , and
C = 23 F?

FAP0025 PHY II 37
 Solution 7

qt   q0 1  e t    C 1  e t  
q4.2 ms   23 10 F6.0 V  1  e
6    4.2103 s  150 Ω 2310 F 
6

 97 C

FAP0025 PHY II 38
Example 8

Consider an RC circuit with  = 12.0 V,

R = 175 , and C = 55.7 F. Find (a) the time
constant for the circuit, (b) the maximum charge
on the capacitor, and (c) the initial current in the
circuit.

FAP0025 PHY II 39
 Solution 8

(a)   RC
 
 175 Ω  55.7 106 F  9.75 ms
(b) qt   C 1  e t  
q  qmax  q0  C as t  
 
qmax  C  55.7 106 F 12.0 V   6.68 10 4 C

(C) I t   e t 
R

I 0   
12.0 V
 68.6 mA
R 175 Ω
FAP0025 PHY II 40
4.5 Capacitors in Series and in Parallel
4.5.1 Capacitors in Parallel
C1
For capacitors connected in +Q1 Q1
parallel as shown in Fig. 4.13,
voltage across the capacitors C2
A +Q2 Q2 B
equals the voltage V of
battery. The total charge to C3
leave battery is +Q3 Q3
Q  Q1  Q2  Q3
(4.17)
 C1V  C2V  C3V

 V C1  C2  C3   CeqV +

Therefore we find V
Fig.4.13: Capacitors in Parallel
Ceq  C1  C2  C3 (4.18)

FAP0025 PHY II 41
4.5.2 Capacitors in Series
C1 C2
For capacitors in series Q
C3
+Q +Q Q +Q Q
as shown in Fig. 4.14, we
note that the charge on
V1 V2 V3
each capacitor is the
same. The total voltage
across the capacitors is
+ 
Q
V  V1  V2  V3
Ceq V
Q Q Q  1 1 1  Fig.4.14: Capacitors in Series
    Q   
C1 C2 C3  C1 C2 C3  (4.19)
1 1 1 1
  
Ceq C1 C2 C3

FAP0025 PHY II 42
Example 9
Two capacitors, one 12.0 F and the other of
unknown capacitance C, are connected in parallel
across a battery with an emf of 9.00 V (figure). The
total energy stored in the two capacitors is 0.0115 J.
What is the value of the capacitor C?

FAP0025 PHY II 43
Solution 9

U  12 CeqV 2
2U
Ceq  2
V
20.0115 J 
  284 F
9.00 V 2

Ceq  12.0 F  C
C  Ceq  12.0 F  284F  12.0 F
 272 F

FAP0025 PHY II 44
Example 10

Consider the electrical circuit shown below,

consisting of a 12.0-V battery and three capacitors
connected partly in series and partly in parallel.
Find (a) the equivalent capacitance of this circuit
and (b) the total energy stored in the capacitors.

FAP0025 PHY II 45
Solution 10

1
 1 1 
(a) Ceq      20F
 10.0 F 5.00F 
 3.33F  20F  23.3F

(b) U  12 CeqV 2
 1
2 23.3 10 F12.0 V 
6 2

 1.68 10 3 J

FAP0025 PHY II 46